Sunday, December 9, 2007

What would happen if three successful people were brought together to review their lives for the Devil? You can find out in Sydney Molare's novel, Devil's Orchestra. Sydney Molare is one of the latest Southern authors who should be on your watch list. Her novels' messages cross genres, ethnicities, and locales to bring readers powerful stories. That could be why Sydney's books are garnering awards from book clubs and reviewers across the country.

Devil's Orchestra takes a successful radio personality (Tab) on the Eastern seaboard, a hip-hop princess (Deva), and an author (Juan), all very successful in their own right, and living life on their own terms. But at what cost?

When three old friends come back into their lives, they entice these successful people living on their own terms, to take stock. Little do Tab, Deva, and Juan know that Luke, AKA Lucifer, really wants to make sure they continue along their paths so that he can welcome them into his kingdom.

You'll have to read the book to find out what happens, but here's a teaser of Devil's Orchestra by Sydney Molare:

WJZU screeched with activity--phones rang, voices boomed out messages, people zigged and zagged. As the number one station on the Eastern seaboard, it was all in a day's work.

The double doors banged open. An imposing, white-haired figure stood just inside, arms akimbo, his essence nearly visible to the naked eye. It wasn't that he was extremely handsome, because he wasn't. The timeworn face was often described as plainer than plain and the paunchy body, definitely not pin-up material. However, it was the POWER emanating from Tab McGrith which made people take notice...just as they did now.

His mouth lifted at the corner; hard eyes surveyed the room. His lair. His domain. Conversations interrupted or halted as people greeted him, lips pulled back in pleasure or in some cases, fear. For Tab was what one would call "The Franchise."

The top radio personality on the East Coast, his program "Living Life As Your Right" was carried in more than two thousand stations worldwide. Advertisers, the lifeblood of any station, loved him. In fact, two nearly came to blows trying to waggle one of his commercial spots.

He was a cash cow and he knew it. Hell, the world knew it. Station owners from New York City, LA and London practically drooled oceans trying to court him away. Not for Tab, though. He was a big fish in a pretty big pond and he liked it that way. No way would he risk everything he had, what he had worked and cheated to get, for maybe more. To say that he was totally indispensable without a major "F" up--and even that was debatable--was an understatement.

With a strut of learned arrogance, he moved further into the room. Hearty slaps peppered his back; lips stretched even further, distaste swallowed behind porcelain veneers. Tab barely acknowledged the giver; accepted the fawnings as his due.

A studio technician hesitantly walked toward Tab, stopping six feet shy. "Ah, ah...we're ready if you are," he mumbled, eyes shifting behind, above and beside Tab. He didn't have the guts to look him straight on...few people did.

"Lead on, son! My people want to hear from me!" Tab boomed.

“Ah, ah, yessir.” Nervous, the tech stumbled over his feet and crashed into a waiting desk. Face red, he snapped back upright, ignored the coffee he’d spilt on the secretary sitting at the desk—as well as her papers—and threw open the studio door. Tab winked at the pissed woman but offered no assistance. That was beneath him. As he entered the door to the studio, a voice stopped him.